Hi y'all,
Just wanted to say hi and introduce myself.
Installing a used pool this weekend so I thought I'd start a thread so you can all live in my agony too.
So, I'm one of those (not so bright) people who would rather buy something like this used and put sweat equity into it. I've done it with a few Hot Tubs (including my current one) and a pool or two over the years.
I started my search MONTHS ago, found one in Indiana (I'm up near the Illinois/Wisconsin boarder) looked great, settled on a price and a day to take it down.
That day came and I made the 3 hour drive, started to take the pool down, cut the liner out and what do you think I saw? Yup, rust everywhere. There was zero rust on the outside of the pool but it was just too much rust to move on. So, made the three hour trek home with an empty rented trailer.
About a month ago I saw one for sale in the middle of Michigan, It was already taken down, and while older, very well maintained. Come to find out he has all the original paperwork on the pool. It's a Embassy Riviera.
So, I rent another trailer and head out to the middle of nowheresville Michigan.
We get there and I hold my breath as he opens the garage door.......
It's nearly perfect. Couple of tiny dents in a couple of uprights and some holes in a couple of the top rails (he had a cover reel) and of course the paint is faded. But everything is there and everything is in amazing condition for a pool that was made in 2004! Load it up, give the guy 300 bucks and I'm on my way back home.
In the next month or two while the weather is still wintery, I ordered gaskets, some misc. parts and a liner. I also sanded and painted everything, with the exception of the wall (I'll have to do that once it's up.)
Little backstory, our house originally had a AGP but for whatever reason the previous owner took it down. I foolishly figured, "Hey no big deal, just cut the sod off and start leveling." LOL boy, was I wrong.
I cut the sod out and start digging.... OMFG...... No.... No..... No.... UGH...
I guess the last pool was burred 18", so when they removed it they filled the hole with rocks and clay.
At this point I wanted to throw the towel in on this project, but.... family.
The place where the pool is going, there is no real way to get any machinery back there without totally ripping up most of the yard. So I start with a shovel and a wheelbarrow.
Luckily for me, we got a 18' pool so I didn't have to manually dig a 30' hole. Yeah, I'm not going to sugar coat it.... it sucked, it really, really sucked. After hours and hours and hours of digging (and one prescription of steroids for my back that I threw out). I'm at virgin soil, leveled and going to start sinking bricks tonight. Pool should be up by Sunday, if I and my back live that long.
Wish me luck! I'll update with pics.
Just wanted to say hi and introduce myself.
Installing a used pool this weekend so I thought I'd start a thread so you can all live in my agony too.
So, I'm one of those (not so bright) people who would rather buy something like this used and put sweat equity into it. I've done it with a few Hot Tubs (including my current one) and a pool or two over the years.
I started my search MONTHS ago, found one in Indiana (I'm up near the Illinois/Wisconsin boarder) looked great, settled on a price and a day to take it down.
That day came and I made the 3 hour drive, started to take the pool down, cut the liner out and what do you think I saw? Yup, rust everywhere. There was zero rust on the outside of the pool but it was just too much rust to move on. So, made the three hour trek home with an empty rented trailer.
About a month ago I saw one for sale in the middle of Michigan, It was already taken down, and while older, very well maintained. Come to find out he has all the original paperwork on the pool. It's a Embassy Riviera.
So, I rent another trailer and head out to the middle of nowheresville Michigan.
We get there and I hold my breath as he opens the garage door.......
It's nearly perfect. Couple of tiny dents in a couple of uprights and some holes in a couple of the top rails (he had a cover reel) and of course the paint is faded. But everything is there and everything is in amazing condition for a pool that was made in 2004! Load it up, give the guy 300 bucks and I'm on my way back home.
In the next month or two while the weather is still wintery, I ordered gaskets, some misc. parts and a liner. I also sanded and painted everything, with the exception of the wall (I'll have to do that once it's up.)
Little backstory, our house originally had a AGP but for whatever reason the previous owner took it down. I foolishly figured, "Hey no big deal, just cut the sod off and start leveling." LOL boy, was I wrong.
I cut the sod out and start digging.... OMFG...... No.... No..... No.... UGH...
I guess the last pool was burred 18", so when they removed it they filled the hole with rocks and clay.
At this point I wanted to throw the towel in on this project, but.... family.
The place where the pool is going, there is no real way to get any machinery back there without totally ripping up most of the yard. So I start with a shovel and a wheelbarrow.
Luckily for me, we got a 18' pool so I didn't have to manually dig a 30' hole. Yeah, I'm not going to sugar coat it.... it sucked, it really, really sucked. After hours and hours and hours of digging (and one prescription of steroids for my back that I threw out). I'm at virgin soil, leveled and going to start sinking bricks tonight. Pool should be up by Sunday, if I and my back live that long.
Wish me luck! I'll update with pics.
